The Rule of Nicholas II 1894-1905

Question 1

What was the majority ethnic group in Russia (1897 census)?

Answer 1

Russian: 55.6 million

Question 2

What were the three predominant minorities in Russia? (1897 census)

Answer 2

Ukrainian: 22.4 million
Polish: 7.9 million
White Russian: 5.8 million

Question 3

When was serfdom abolished in Russia ?

Answer 3

1861

Question 4

What percentage of Russians were peasants? (1897)

Answer 4

82%

Question 5

What percentage of the Russian population were workers ? (1897)

Answer 5

4%

Question 6

What percentage of the Russian population were upper class and ruling class ?

Answer 6

12% - upper class
0.5% - ruling class

Question 7

What did the Tsar claim to be in the Russian census of 1897 ?

Answer 7

Landowner of all of Russia

Question 8

What were the problems of the workers under Alexander III?

Answer 8

Poor working conditions and heavily suppressed

Question 9

What were the problems of the peasants under Alexander III?

Answer 9

South was overcrowded and they had a lack of education and equipment

Question 10

How did the Tsar benefit from the class system?

Answer 10

•Lower chance of revolt
•Elevate his position and myth of the Tsar
•Keep those influential close to him

Question 11

What is the definition of autocracy?

Answer 11

Someone with a birth claim that they are a rightful ruler

Question 12

What is the definition of dictatorship?

Answer 12

Dictatorship is someone persuading and working their way up to being a ruler

Question 13

Autocracy - What are the three bodies the Tsar appointed ?

Answer 13

•The Imperial Council
•The Cabinet of Ministers
•The Senate

Question 14

What are the three bodies of “For Faith, Tsar & Fatherland”?

Answer 14

Autocracy, Nationality and Orthodoxy

Question 15

When did Nicholas I introduce “For Faith, Tsar & Fatherland”?

Answer 15

1833

Question 16

Nationality - What was the Tsar obliged to do with nationalities?

Answer 16

Promote and preserve the superior Russian national identity

Question 17

Orthodoxy- How was the Tsar related to God ?

Answer 17

He was an agent of God and upholder of faith and he acted as the father and the Russian population were his children

Question 18

When was the start and end of Alexander II’s reign?

Answer 18

1855-1881

Question 19

What did Alexander II achieve during his reign ?

Answer 19

•Extension of railways
•Emancipation of serfs

Question 20

When was the start and end of Alexander III’s reign?

Answer 20

1881-1894

Question 21

What did Alexander III achieve during his reign ?

Answer 21

He adopted Russification of national minorities and persecuted non-orthodox religious groups

Question 22

When did Nicholas II become King ?

Answer 22

13th May 1896

Question 23

What was the distressing event that occurred on Nicholas II’s coronation?

Answer 23

In NW Moscow the Kodhnyka field was chosen to accommodate 30,000 people to receive free beer and sausages however 500,000 people showed up and 1,300 died

Question 24

How did Sergei Witte modernise Russia ?

Answer 24

•Hired foreign experts
•Direct investment in industrial projects
•Foreign investment negotiated
•Increase in indirect taxes

Question 25

What was Russification ?

Answer 25

Imposing Russian culture on minorities such as harassing churches and imposing Russian language

Question 26

When was the rouble put on the Gold Standard by Sergei Witte?

Answer 26

1897

Question 27

What happened when the Armenian Church was banned ?

Answer 27

Troops opened fire on a crowd killing 10 and wounding 70

Question 28

Why was Russification seen as counter-productive ?

Answer 28

It was aimed to halt the growth of nationalist movements but it led to resentment in these groups

Question 29

What were restrictions were put on Jews in Russia?

Answer 29

Higher education was limited and they were banned from living in rural areas forcing them into towns and villages

Question 30

What was the role of The Okhrana?

Answer 30

•censored newspapers •repressed ideologies •infiltrate and destroy uprisings

Question 31

How many Okhrana were there in 1900?

Answer 31

2,500 and 1/5 were staged in St Petersburg

Question 32

When was the Okhrana established?

Answer 32

1880

Question 33

What was the problem of Okhrana?

Answer 33

Many were converted and became double agents leading to the assassinations of Plevhe and Stolypin

Question 34

Who was Sergei Zubatov?

Answer 34

In 1895 he was appointed as Head of the Moscow Okhrana

Question 35

What did Sergei Zubatov introduce?

Answer 35

Modern methods of detection including photo registration and a flying squad

Question 36

What was a Zemstvo?

Answer 36

A local council in the countryside set up under Alexander in 1861

Question 37

What newspaper did Lenin and Martov write ?

Answer 37

Iskra (Spark)

Question 38

What was the argument between Lenin and Martov?

Answer 38

Lenin wanted an exclusive approach whereas Martov wanted an inclusive approach to the party

Question 39

What was the result of Lenin and Martov’s argument ?

Answer 39

They had a vote in 1903 where Lenin won a majority (Bolshevik) and Martov got a minority (Menshevik)

Question 40

What were the aims of the Popularists?

Answer 40

A constitutional monarchy or overthrow and were seen as terrorists

Question 41

What were the strengths and weaknesses of the Popularists ?

Answer 41

Focused on the peasants but they didn’t care and was very vague

Question 42

Who were the Popularists ?

Answer 42

A group of middle and upper class idealists set up in 1870s

Question 43

What were the aims of the SRs?

Answer 43

A complete overthrow and wanted to work with other parties

Question 44

What were the strengths and weaknesses of the SRs?

Answer 44

Focused on everyone but particularly the peasants however there is a split in 1906

Question 45

Who were the SRs?

Answer 45

A group set up in 1902 led by Victor Chernov and was an offshoot of the Populist movement

Question 46

What were the aims of the SDs?

Answer 46

A complete overthrow and was the first communist party of Russia

Question 47

What were the strengths and weaknesses of the SDs?

Answer 47

Focused on the working class and encouraged trade unions but it was theoretical and divided leadership

Question 48

Who were the SDs?

Answer 48

A group of intelligentsia in 1898 focused on Marxist theory

Question 49

When was the Communist Manifesto published ?

Answer 49

1848

Question 50

What are the Lumbenproletariat?

Answer 50

Outcasts of society such as beggars, criminals and prostitutes

Question 51

What are the Proletariat?

Answer 51

The wage labourers and sell their workforce

Question 52

What are the bourgeoisie ?

Answer 52

The owners of the workers and buy the labour

Question 53

What were the ideas of Liberal oppositions ?

Answer 53

•reform rather than violence •parliamentary democracy •national zemstvo

Question 54

What methods did Liberal oppositions use?

Answer 54

Pre-existing ones such as Zemstvo and newspapers

Question 55

What is another name for the League of Liberation ?

Answer 55

Union of Unions

Question 56

When was the League of Liberation set up?

Answer 56

January 1904

Question 57

What were the aims of the League of Liberation ?

Answer 57

Replace absolutism with a constitutional monarchy

Question 58

Who were two leading members of the League of Liberation?

Answer 58

Peter Struve and Pavel Milyukov

Question 59

When was the three -point plan adopted by the League of Liberation?

Answer 59

October 1904

Question 60

What were the three points in the plan adopted by the League of Liberation?

Answer 60

•Persuade the Zemstvos to ask for a constitutional monarchy •Stage a series of banquets pushing ideals •Support the formation of unions